Can Caretaker Minister sign off on new requests?
PHILIPSBURG:--- A post on Facebook by one of the founding members of St. Maarten Pride Foundation directed especially to St. Maarten media personnel to seek clarity on a building permit that was submitted by Simpson Bay Yacht Club developer Miti Katz to develop a plot of land including the Belair Pond (Little Bay Pond). The writer of the post said that based on information she received, the owner of the land died but his son inherited the property and that person identified as Johnny Pavan made an agreement with one Miti Katz to develop the property. The post further stated that a building permit was issued for the development, that permit was signed off within two weeks, which according to the writer was done to avoid the development plans that would designate the Little Bay Pond as "green area". The environmental foundation is now asking why this particular project has the caretaker Minister's attention and became a priority for him. They are questioning if he is receiving a kickback from this project by granting a building permit within two weeks.
SMN News did some digging to find out if there is any truth to what the environmental foundation posted on Facebook. Surprisingly, the writer of the post had her facts in order. SBL Management submitted a request for a building permit at the end of August 2014. That request by SBL bears the number 176 -2014 and has already been granted. It was indeed signed off by caretaker Minister Maurice Lake.
Since SBL received the building permit they have since blocked off access to Belair Beach by placing a huge gate with lock on it. Another question posed was if the other stakeholders, such as Belair Hotel and the St. Maarten Pride Foundation were given the chance to voice their concerns. The post which was posted by the founding member of the St. Maarten Pride Foundation said that the St. Maarten Pride Foundation has been advocating the free access to public beaches and greenery, especially those that are close to schools. St. Maarten Pride now wants to know if the caretaker Minister will take the beach policy and make it an ordinance within the same time frame he issued the building permit to SBL.
SMN News tried to contact the head of VROMI Louis Brown for an explanation but Brown could not be reached.
Below is the full content of the FB post.
Dear Local Media and all concerned about the sudden blockage of beach access to the belair beach.
Information has reached me that i will reveal here, and trust me when I say I have not a damn thing to lose. I am tired of the political play, dishonesty, trickery, non transparency and two faced politicians who swindle the people with lies.
information is: while the owner of the property Mr. Pavan has passed away, the property in question is the belair beach area...(not the beach, never the beach, but 50 meters away from the high water line) this property also includes the little bay pond, also known as the belair pond.
His son Johnny Pavan inherited the property and has made a agreement with Miti Katz ( developer of Simpson bay yacht club) to develop the area.
The information reaching me is that a building permit has been issued within the space of 2 weeks, signed by Minister Maurice Lake.
My sources are saying that, this was quickly done to avoid the development plans on the table which would designate the belair pond as a green area. My sources are also saying that the Minster wanted this done quickly before his departure.
Now, this is the information reaching me...i do not know with certainty what is truth and what is not.
However, you as media can question the Minister today when he is playing the *I Care For You Card, and his Back To Basics bullshito , ask him outright...has a building permit been issued? When? How long did it take? Why was this a priority for him? Is he getting a kickback (valid question in todays local political life) will stakeholders like belair hotel, PRIDE foundation who advocates for Public beaches and greenery, nearby schools, and others get to see the plans and have an opportunity to voice concerns. Where is the access to the beach...and I do not mean today when the gate might be reopened ...I mean in the future !!!! I am not holding any developer responsible anymore, I know Miti Katz and respectfully, she is a business woman like any other and can hold her own in a mans world, I am holding our government responsible. Will the Minister take up the beach policy and make it a ordinance with the same speed of time, he issued this building permit ? Will he do this before he leaves office???? If not, we know where his loyalties lie.
Media, I will be following to see if you have the guts, the balls and the true fearlessness to ask these questions.
